VINO

Like most children of the '60s, my first wine experiences involved Boone's Farm products. Let's just say they were memorable, but not in a good way. Then I graduated to more worldly labels such as Lancer's and Mateus Rose. They weren't much better, but they made great candle holders once the wine was gone.

It was my father, a confirmed scotch drinker, who began my real wine education. In an effort to bond with his troubled son, he suggested we go buy wine together to share over our nightly chess game.

My father didn't know any more than I did about picking wines, but he knew where to go: Schaefer's Wine and Spirits, which remains in business to this day in Skokie, Ill. A knowledgeable employee guided us to a fruity Beaujolais Villages from Louis Jadot, a substantial upgrade from my previous selections.

And so I learned my first, albeit somewhat obvious, lesson about picking good wine: Ask someone who knows.

I've been asking ever since - while I worked in Chicago's wine industry, learning from the importers and winemakers, passing the best nuggets to the restauranteurs who were my clients. I've opened wine shops in half a dozen cities and worked at numerous country clubs and restaurants in which wine played an important role in the dining experience.

PHOTO JIM MCCRACKEN 55 Degrees, Cool Wine and Cheese at Gulf Coast Town Center uses The Enomatic, a machine that allows you to pour an ounce or two of more than a dozen wines. I learned still more from making wine - from real California grapes aged in genuine oak casks - at The Barrel Room in Fort Myers for three years.

I'm still learning, but I've gained confidence in my ability to select a good bottle even if I'm not wholly familiar with the maker.

It requires confidence to take on the myriad choices available these days. It's no wonder that a recent study found many people choose a particular wine because it has a cute little animal on the label. For the record, that is not a reliable way of narrowing down the possibilities.

Instead, try any of the following methods:

• If you like particular type of wine -- shiraz, for instance -- try one from a different producer or country.

• Ask a friend or retailer for suggestions (the 21-year-old clerk at the corner liquor store isn't a reliable source).

• Attend wine tastings, which are abundant and inexpensive, or wine dinners, which cost more but wine purveyors or the winemakers themselves often attend and discuss their wines.

• At restaurants that offer them, try a wine flight - small servings of three or four wines - which allows you to compare them side by side. (55 Degrees, Cool Wine and Cheese at Gulf Coast Town Center uses The Enomatic, a machine that allows you to pour an ounce or two of more than a dozen wines.)

• Find clues on the labels (no, not animals). Is the wine from California or from a specific district in California, such as Oakville or Carneros? Those from specific districts are apt to have more depth of flavor. Also if you've sampled a wine from a particular district before and liked it, chances are you'll like the new one, too.

Each country has a method of labeling its better wines.

In France a VDQS (Vin Délimité de Qualité Supérieure) means it's a regional wine. AOC (Appellation d'Origine Controlee) is a wine of controlled origin. These wines contain specific grape varieties and adhere to production requirements that ensure a consistent, generally top-notch wine.

In Italy, it's DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata), which is similar to the French AOC. Top-of-the-line wines are entitled to use the DOCG classification (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita) with a special producers' label on the neck of the bottle (such as Chianti Classico and Asti Spumante).

For German wines, look for Qualitatswein mit Pradikat on the label.

One more tip: Faithfully record your experiences in a notebook. It will prove invaluable a few months hence when you're unable to dredge up the name of that spectacular bottle you loved and want to buy again.

People often ask me for recommendations, so here are a few wines I've been enjoying of late:

• Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand. Light and tart with lime, grapefruit and light mineral notes, this classic wine pairs well with seafood or light appetizers.

• Molly Dooker Two Left Feet Shiraz blend from Australia. Molly Dooker means lefty in Australia and both winemakers are left handed. This blend of shiraz, merlot and cabernet sauvignon is well balanced with a smooth finish, strong berry notes and bouquet. It's a good companion for grilled fare.

• Rombauer Chardonnay from California's Carneros district. This finely balanced chardonnay has lilting melon and fig notes, and is buttery smooth. It goes well with that fresh snapper and other mild fish.

• Rosenblum Richard Sauret Vineyard Zinfandel comes from the Paso Robles region of California. This big zin has luscious cherry, currant, blackberry and vanilla notes with just a hint of pepper. This one is a good match for a steak or a stronger-tasting fish, such as tuna or salmon. ¦